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Mailbag: Marquez-Vazquez encore?

Yahoo Sports

Some day, boxing fans are going to look back on 2009 and ask themselves, "What just happened here?" Because for the first year in recent memory, all the fights a diehard fan would want to see are being made.

And another outstanding bout, though not made, is in the offing. Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez fought one of the most compelling trilogies in boxing history in 2007 and 2008. Vazquez-Marquez I was Yahoo! Sports Fight of the Year in 2007 and Vazquez-Marquez III was Fight of the Year in 2008. The middle fight between them, on Aug. 4, 2007, was also a barnburner, but gets overlooked because of the outrageous action in the other two.

But because of an eye injury, Vazquez hadn't fought since their third fight, which was March 1, 2008, in Carson, Calif. Marquez, needing a break after the grueling series, returned May 23 with an under the radar Jose Francisco Mendoza in Mexico.

Vazquez was recently cleared to fight by the California State Athletic Commission after his detached retina healed and it's likely we'll see Vazquez-Marquez IV sometime in the second half of the year.

I'm not only rooting for a fourth fight between them, but also for each man to receive a seven-figure purse for his efforts. They've rewarded boxing fans with three of the best fights of the last decade; they deserve to be financially rewarded for what they've done.

Let's hope the fight gets made quickly and, more appropriately, that the fighters are paid what they're due.

I'd like to remind you to follow me on Twitter. And with that, let's get to your questions and comments in this week's edition of the boxing mailbag. My answers are in italics.

UNDERESTIMATING PACMAN?

I hear some boxing fans saying Floyd Mayweather Jr. would box Manny Pacquiao's ears off, if they ever met. But we can't forget that Manny has gone 23 rounds with Marco Antonio Barrera, 25 rounds with Eric Morales, and 24 rounds with Juan Manuel Marquez. I understand the results of the Marquez fights are debatable, but nonetheless, it is arguable he won those fights. In addition, he may have lost the first fight with Morales, but destroyed him in the other two bouts. All this is in addition to the destruction of Ricky Hatton. Mind you, I always believed Hatton was a good B-level fighter, and not truly an A-level fighter, but if anyone exposed that it was Manny and Luis Collazo, not Mayweather. Also, let's not forget Zab Judah (who is also a southpaw, and lightning fast, minus the power and experience) was very competitive with Mayweather for the first six rounds of their encounter. All the more intriguing, but I simply think it's foolish for anyone to count Manny out. The beauty behind the Manny/Freddie Roach journey is that Manny has grown and developed, not simply imposed his will every time with the same game plan. This is why you have to love this sport. Hopefully, before the end of this year, we'll know who would win for certain.

Rick
Bridgeport, Conn.

My belief is that Mayweather would outbox Pacquiao, too. Having said that, you make excellent points. Pacquiao has been consistently fighting, and defeating, quality opposition. I was never the greatest admirer of Ricky Hatton's talent, but I thought he'd put up a tougher fight than he did. I will point out that Judah has good power and was more experienced than Mayweather when they fought. Mayweather isn't infallible, though I believe he's the best fighter in the world. But the beauty of boxing is that (most times, at least) they get to prove it in the ring.

MAYWEATHER WILL ROLL

I really liked your assessment of the Marquez-Mayweather fight. I was wondering if you feel Marquez is a bit over his head in this one? I feel like if Pretty Boy shows in shape, it's going to be a unanimous 12-round decision for him. Also, I was wondering if have you heard any news on Erik Morales returning to the ring? I hear whispers he may fight again.

Ronald G.
Providence, R.I.

I have great respect for Marquez, and have voted him No. 2 on my own pound-for-pound ballot, behind Pacquiao. But I do believe Mayweather is too big and too fast for him. Marquez is a tough guy and is as smart as they come, but he doesn't have the physical skills to defeat Mayweather. This is Mayweather's fight to win and he should win wide. As for Morales, I believe that, sadly, he will make a return sometime later this year. They never learn, do they?

NO BIG PAYDAY

Andre Berto's big payday is never going to arrive if he keeps on fighting the way he's fought his last few fights up in class. The guy's a hack. He holds too much and was lucky to come away with a win against Luis Collazo. Anyone watching that fight could see that Berto's going to get whipped once he moves up against Shane Mosley or Miguel Cotto. He's fast, but he holds, then hits, then runs, which makes for dull fights. That means no big future paydays. Berto has reached his peak at welterweight. The rest is downhill from here.

Tom Z.
East Dorset, Vt.

He'll get a big payday, because the field will winnow itself out. Given that it doesn't look like Mosley is going to get a fight with either Pacquiao or Mayweather this year, he may wind up fighting Berto. But I agree with much of your assessment. Berto did himself no good despite the lopsided win over Juan Urango on Saturday.

THIN THE FIELD OUT

It occurred to me while reading your piece on Andre Berto, a fighter I've never heard of, that the main thing wrong with boxing is that there are too many titles and too many divisions and too many associations that give title belts. I know. This is no great revelation. But when I was a kid, I could name all the champs in all the divisions and it meant something. Welterweight was welterweight. Sugar Ray Robinson. There was no "super" class within a class. Today, these titles are so degraded it's ridiculous. It's utter suicide for the sport. And of course, greed fuels the suicide. In the old days, if Jack Dempsey had lost to a 290-pound Russian, tough, he lost. No one would have whined about creating a new division for the big tanks. Sandy Saddler and Willie Pep did it right: They put on great fights within a defined division. There were no sub-categories, no WBA, WBC, IBF crap. Clarity. We need clarity.

Jon R.

Part of the reason there are so many classes is safety, but I'll grant that much of it is so that the sanctioning bodies can give out 17 belts apiece instead of eight and make more sanction fees. I'm not necessarily against more belts, because it means more money for the fighters. However, the sanctioning bodies degrade the value of the belts by irrationally stripping fighters and offering crazy ratings. If the best fighter in each class was recognized, no one would complaint. The complaint now is really that the best fighters in each class aren't recognized.

HOLYFIELD'S SHOT

What do you think Evander Holyfield's chances are of getting another shot at Nikolai Valuev? Would anyone be interested in seeing that? And if not Valuev, do you think any of the other heavyweight champions out there would fight Holyfield? I keep reading that although he is 46 and hasn't won a significant fight in years, he won't quit. I think the Klitschko brothers would destroy him with jabs alone, and even someone like Chris Areola would knock him out. Thoughts?

Jeff S.
Los Angeles

If Holyfield gets another title shot, it would be a crime against humanity.

WBA AN INSANE MESS

I commend you for your patience in writing about the WBA's heavyweight mess. If Valuev and John Ruiz fight, will it be for the third time? Please, tell me I am wrong. Please.

Chris B.
Beverly, Mass.

It will be for the third time if they fight, as I expect they will. One of the great mysteries of modern times is how Ruiz gets so many WBA title shots. His manager, Anthony Cardinale, shouldn't be Manager of the Year; he should be Manager of the Millennium for pulling this off.

You hit it right on the money (or, rather, chin, in this instance) in your column "Chagaev is the WBA's joke champion." It is insane, absolutely insane! Boxing has been this way for a very long time and I love boxing!

Robert T.
Minneapolis

Only the NHL rivals boxing for most self-inflicted wounds, but the NHL looks like a perfect business model compared to how boxing operates. The situation with Chagaev and the WBA is revolting.